1. Field of the Invention
The invention is directed to a power semiconductor module having an internal connection device embodied as a layer assembly composed of a plurality of electrically conductive layers, which form a plurality of conductor tracks, and insulating layers arranged between the conductive layers. The connection device serves to electrically connect power semiconductor components to one another or to further conductor tracks of a substrate.
2. Description of the Related Art
Known semiconductor modules are described by way of example in German Published Patent Application No. DE 103 55 925 A1, which discloses, in principle, a connection device of the type mentioned above. In this patent, the power semiconductor components are permanently electrically connected to a first conductive layer by ultrasonic welding. The module-internal circuit-conforming connection of the power semiconductor components, which includes both internal load and control connections, is disclosed in that patent. For this purpose, the connection device has through contacts between electrically conductive layers and insulating layers. In this way, conductor tracks of one layer are electrically connected to conductor tracks of another layer.
An external connection device of a power semiconductor module of the abovementioned type is disclosed in German Patent No. DE 10 2006 027 482 B3. That patent discloses the use of screw and spring-loaded plug contact connections.
By contrast, German Published Patent Application No. DE 10 2006 013 078 A1 discloses a power semiconductor module comprising an abovementioned connection device in which the through contacts between two electrically conductive layers are formed by thin wire bonding. Since a connection device of this type is also intended to serve to replace bonding connections within a power semiconductor module and, as a result of its use, to improve the durability of the internal connections, the use of the thin wire bonding connection to form a through contact is completely satisfactory.
Therefore, it is an object of the invention to provide a power semiconductor module having a connection device with a reduced number of wire bonding connections.